EU Carbon Trading Scheme

The EU Carbon Trading Scheme is an ambitious and worthwhile experiment in trying to reduce green house gas emissions in a flexible, positive way. Unfortunately, it is often presented as a complete success when it is in fact a major long-term project in its formative stage. We need the EU to provide leadership in environmental matters, but the limited scope of the scheme and the way Member States protect their heavy industries should be explained clearly to European voters. The way that electricity companies have passed the carbon costs on to their customers also needs greater explanation. This is what I will do when elected to the European Parliament.